Eternal Christendom Podcast Conquering Self: The Mystery of Lent with the Church Fathers | Ep. 65
Mar 13, 2026
A lively walk through St. Pope Leo the Great's Lenten sermon on conquering the self. Short segments explore fasting, prayer, and almsgiving as spiritual training. Reflections touch on original justice, tempering passions, and the duty to master oneself before correcting others. Biblical typology and the role of restitution and endurance in Lent are highlighted.
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Tolkien On Not Gloating Over Enemies
- Joshua Charles recounts J.R.R. Tolkien's 1945 remark about not gloating over Germany's destruction despite its deserts.
- Tolkien argued Christians should seek redemption, not gloat, even when punishment seems merited.
Lent Restores Our Original Order
- Lent trains the soul by restoring the tripartite submission lost in Adam and Eve: mind to God, passions to mind, body to soul.
- Joshua Charles explains concupiscence as an inherited tendency like smoldering tinder that requires habitual self-denial to keep passions submitted.
Use Fasting To Build Repentance Habits
- Do use fasting and spiritual disciplines to build habits that prevent sin and enable speedy repentance if you fall.
- Charles compares training to athletic/ military drills: habits make falling less likely and recovery faster.